Blowing machine for the manufacture of felt hats



July 27 1926.

F. BRCKNER BLowING MACHINE FOR .THE EANUFACTURE oF FELT `HATS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 16, 1922 IN VENTOR MEME A TTORNE Y F. BRCKNERBLowING magma: Fon THE MANUFACTURE oF FELT HATS Filed Nov. lfwzz 2sheets-sheet 2 Paeneaj July 2.1, 1926.1

rmzenncxnnn, or.

BURG, NEAR MAGDEBURG, GERMANY, .ABBIGNOB T JAIES l'.

DOBAN, 0F DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

BLOWm'G MAGHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F FELT BATS.

Application med November 16, 1.922. Serial No. 601,818.

The material whichisfprincipally used for the manufacturing of felt hatsis bares. hair and rabbits hair which must be separated from the skinaccording to different well known methods and prepared soy that it isperfectly clean', which means free from coarse admixture, waste skin,coarse prickly hair and'pieces ofr leather and so thatfit is. loose anddoes: not' form ballsl nor is entangled.

For the treatment ofthe hair blowing ma chines are ref erably used inwhich the hair Vis combedby means of the so-called picker cylinderv andblown by the air current produced` by therapidrotation. of said cylinderinto a chamberfin which. it drops upon a conveying cylinder as soon asit gets out of the range ofthe-.air current, tobe conductedfto a second,third, fourth, fifth and eventually some more. picker cylinders until itis. sufieiently cleaned and ready for use.

The blow-ing machines of known type possess howeverr serious:inconveniencies which unfavorably influence their effect and efiiciency.

Thehair thrown up by the picker cylinder becomes easily entangled in thewire gauze covers of theseveral boxes where it is retained by the aircurrent. At these points .balls of hair are formed. which have to beremoved, or they drop off as soon as they' have become heavy enough. Inthe latter case the picker cylinders cannot work properly thislarge massof hair. The accumulations of hair in the wire gauze prevent furthertheregular. outflow of dust so that consequently, besides the irregularworking resulting from the over-loading of the plcker cylinders,.one ofthe main objects, the thorough removal of dust from the'hair, is notrealized. v

It has'bec'n proposed to-avoid this ineen-- venience by arranging uponthe outer side of'eachwire gauze cover one or severalsievelikesurf'aces, which, operated mechanically, beat continuouslyagainsttheouter side of thewire` gauzefcovers. These beaters, which bythe draft produced in a direction oppo.

site to. that of the air current flowing u ward in the boxes, aredesigned to preventt e' the escape of the dust. After` the beaters havebeen used for some time they become full of dust and small h'air so thatthey nol longer present perforated surfaces but solid surfaces whichswingr towards the wire gauze covers so that the production of counterwind in the'box is increased. A further in-v convenience is that thedust can no longer' escape-through these solid surfaces of the areciprocating movement invvertical o'r in'l horizontal direction, oritfmay be produced by a continuous movement of the surface or, if thecover is drumshaped, it may consist in a continuous revolving motion ofthev drum, or the like. In order to avoid any possibility ofaccumulating of hair one or more ductors of suit-able construction(elastic sheet iron, brush rollers, hoes or the like) may be provided,moving in opposite direction relative to the perforated surface so thatowing to this invention disturbances of service or unequal working ofthe machine are absolutely avoided. Other objects or aims of theinvention will be in part obvious or in part pointed, out hereinafter.

- The invention accordingly consists inthe features of construction, thecombinations of elements and arrangements of parts all as willillustratively be described herein, and the scope of' the application ofwhich will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown one or more variouspossible embodiments of the several features of this inl Fig. 1 isavertical longitudinal section through the middle of a three-cylindermachine in which each blowing box is covered by a drum. Fig. 2 shows asimilar machine as Fi 1 'the wind boxes being covered by an en ess an fFig. 3 shows a machine in which the capshaned cover is continuouslyrai/sed and low.- ere Fig. 4 is a cross section ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 showsin Across section a blow pipe.

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal'sectional view illustrative of a.possible embodimeit of certain features of this invention; an

' Figures 7 and 8 are similar views illustrativc of other possibleembodiments of certain features of this invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar arts throughout theseveral views of the mwin The machine A is built in the well knownmanner upon an' under-frame which carries also a driving mechanism forthe picker disks and the lateral driving shaft mounted in longitudinaldirection. The underframe is enerally known and has nothing to do witgthe present invention so that it has not been illustrated on thedrawing. Between the two walls of the under-frame the hair box 10 ismounted. The hair box is closed at the top end b a perforated surfacewhich has narrow oles for the escape ofthe air. These covering surfacesare continuously moved from any convenient part of the machine, or areciprocating motion in vertical direction or horizontalvdirection iscommunicated to the same. This perforated cover can consist, as shown 1nFig.

`1, of a narrowly meshed cylinder 11 which revolves continuously aroundan axle 12. The cylinder is partly located in an aperture of the top pate of the wind box. The hair is fed for instance 'by hand with the aidof the feeding table 13, driven from one of the cylinders 14 or 15. Thepulling-in cylinders 16 and 17 rotate in the welll known manner inbearings which are later,- ally mounted upon the yframe walls. They aredriven from the main driving mech'- anism from the under-frame fromwhich the conveying cylinders 18 arealso driven. These conveyingcylinders 18 are journalled in a similar manner as the pulling-incylinders, in correspondin bearings of the frame walls. Upon each o? theaxles of the conveying cylinders a rope pulley 19 is keyed which isconnected by ro e 20, roller 21 and axle 12 with each cylin er 11.Instead of the rope drive any other, driving mechani'sm, such as beltdrive, chain drive or toothed vwheel gear can'be used. The axles 12 ofthe drums 11 rest in bearings 'which lusv are for instance fixed u nlthelateral wood, en 'walls of the hair Bgx 10. The picker cylinders 22 aredriven, as are the pullingin cylinders and the conveying cylinders fromthe driving mechanism in the underframe. The two pulling-in cylindersare sprin -controlled or weight-controlled so t at t ey-are pressed uponone another with the pressure which is required forthepullin 1n of thehair.

e pulling-in cylinders 16, 17, conveying cylinders 18 and feedingcylinders 14 and 15 revolve very slowly and all at approxi- 68 matelythe same circumferential s eed. The sieve-drums 11 revolve more rapi lyand the circumferential speed of the same can be regulated if requiredby stepped disk arrangements which are however not shown on the drawing.The picker cylinders revolve with a very high circumferential speed andthey resent numerous projecting pointed stu s. In the upper part of thewind box 10 a ductor 23 is arranged designed to scrape olf the hairwhich sticks to the covering drum; said ductor being preferably madefrom eleastic steel sheet, but may comprise cylinderical brushes' or thelike.

In Fig. 2 a second form of construction is shown in which the movablecovering surfaces for the wind boxes consist of an endless perforatedband 24 which covers several or all wind boxes. This perforated band isguided over rotating cylinders 25 so that it 1s moved continuously inhorizontal direction over the wind boxes. Upon the upper edge of eachpartition which separates the Several wind boxes from one another aductor 23 is arranged which is desi d to scrape ott' the hair drawn'along by t e endless band and to throw this hair back into.

the corresponding wind box and upon the picker cylinder. Une of thecylinders 25 for the endless band 24 'is driven, as shown on thedrawing, by belt or similar transmis` sion, from a belt pulley 26 keyedupon the axle 27 of the conveying cylinder 18.

Instead of the endless perforated .band perforated or sieve-like platescan be used for covering the wind boxes, said plates being continuouslyshaken in order to disengage. the hair from the same. This form ofconstruction is' not shown on the drawing as it will be easilyunderstood even without illustration.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a further form of construction according to which themovable sieve-like surfaces are constructed so that-they are like thecaps used with the machine's of known construction. According to theinvention several or all wind boxes are covered by a common movable cap28. The wind boxes are separated the one from the other by partitions29. lA continuous movement can be communicated t-o the cap or capsfor'instance by the following arrangement. Upon the shaft 30 of oneofthe conveyor cylinders a belt or rope pulley 1 is mounted which, asshown in Fig. 4c, transmits the rotating movement by means ot a counterpulley 2 upon a cam disk 3 fixed upon the axle of the counter pulley.This cam disk is designed to come in contact with a pin 4 downwardlyprojecting from the movable cap 28. The movable cam disk 3 raises the caslowly so that it oscillates around the hlnges 5 for a distancef indillto make the hair dro accerta cated in Fig. 4, whereupon the cap beingthat a perfect result is obtained without any suddenly released dropsback u on the wind tinterruption of service.

box. The shock which is ro uced b cap dropping back into position is sucient off which has stuck to the inner surface o the cap. In order toprevent the hair'escaping through the gapwhich is formed with the raisedcaps, plates 7 arranged upon the. partitions cover said gaps. A ductoror scraping device is not required as the 'movable parts do not executea sliding movement.

The operation of the improved blowin machine is as follows: 'The hair tobe oleane is spread out by hand or by an automatic device upon thefeeding table 13 which feeds the material to the pulling in cylinders.16, 17.- The materiall gripped by these pullingin cylinders 16 and 17 isSecurely h eld, in consequence of the loading of said cylinders, to bereleased gradually at the other side of 'the cylinders. The studs of thevpicker cylinder, which revolves with high speed, grip the hair comingout from the pulling-in c inders whilst the hair is .still being held ythese pulling-in cylinders. The hair is thus combed and loosened andsolid admixtures are removed .from the hair. After the hair has beencompletely released by the pullingin cylinders it is drawn along by thepicker cylinder and blown up bytheair current produced by the rapidrotation of the picker cylinder so that it flows up in the wind box.Heavy hair is directly thrown tangentially downward from the pickercylinder to form the waste. As soon as the hair comes from the pickercylinder no other work has to be done but 'to separate the hair from theair current. This is eifected in such a manner that the air with thedust particles escapes through the perforated cover consisting either ofthe erforated drum 11, the endless perforatetfband 24, the perforatedmovable cap 28; the hair dropping back from this erforated cover. Theperforated drum 11 ig. 1) revolves in the direction of the arrowandlconducts the hair thrown a einst the outer surface of the drum towars the @to conduct the hair to the pulling-in cylinders 16, 17 of thenext following wind box. As many wind boxes can be arranged insuccession as required.

Owing to this working method any disturbance -caused by accumulation ohair and by irre lar charging of the picker cylinders resu tingtherefrom are avoided and P5 -the hair is thoroughly freed from dust sothe erforated cover, this hair drops upon an iirtight conveying cylinder18 designed` 1n the blowing machinesof known construction the hairtraverses successively, on the average, 10 to 12 windl boxes before itis ready for use. rllhis is generally done in such a manner that thehair traverses twice a blowing machine composed of 5 or 6V wind boxes.The improved construction of such machines comprising very short windboxes permits the combination of 10 to 12 and even more wind boxes inone machine which is nevertheless not of excessive length. lt

picker cylinder. f @n the other hand the remaining 99% loose hair mustalso go over the other i'cherl cylinders although it has been alreadoythoroughly loosened and made ready. 'lhese 99% of hair ought merely tobe sorted. By making this hair nevertheless pass another 8 to 10 timesover' the rapidly revolving picker cylinders with steel pickers it isfrequently damaged so that valuaable material is lost.

1n order to avoid these inconveniencrs and according to certain featuresof this invention the working process in the machine is separated intotwo parts, the first part being designed for the usual loosening` andsorting of the hair and the second part serving lfor the sorting. Duringthe first part of the treatment the hair is loosened by the pickercylinders and the heaviest1 parts of the hair are se arated whilst therickly unloosened hair oes not participate in the second part of theworking. Figs. 3 and 5 relate to this improved working method.

The blowing machine is composed of three wind boxes as hereinbeforedescribed and shown, only the first two wind boxes being used forloosening the hair, the third wind box serving exclusively for thesorting. Only this last wind box is of somewhat different construction'than the others. For the picker cylinder a stationary blowing pipe 31is substituted through which flows a light air current produced by a fanmounted in the machine. The blowinep pipe 31 which has a slit 32 (Fig.5) exending over its entire length is surrounded by a sleeve 33 having anozzle 34. The4 sleeve 11 is of slightly greater diameter than theblowing pipe and arranged so that it can be easily turned around saidblowing pipe. Upposite p forated conveying cylinders are used.

the blow pipe a solid bafiie plate of conven- The .light useful hairHows, as shown in.

Fi 3, up in the wind box and the hea use ess hair and knots drop down.The a justable balile or catch plate 35 in combination with theimperforate conveying cylinder 18 guides the material so that no eddiesare produced as is apt to occur when er- W. ing to this last describedimprovement fewer picker cylinders are required and the hair 1s moreeffectively treated so that the dust can be removed from the hair muchmore rapidly than hitherto. This improvement constitutes a great savingin pickers and mechanical parts connected with the same.

Figure 6 shows another form of construction of a blowing machineaccording to my invention, and it will be noted that the construction issubstantially similar to that specifically illustrated` in Figure 1excepting that the pulling-in cylinders associated with one of the windboxes and their correspending picker roll are replaced by a blowf ingpipe 31--34 and a pair of pulling-in cylinders for supplying fur to beacted upon bythis blowing pipe; more specifically, it will be noted thatin the construction shown in Figure 6 each of the wind boxes hasassociated with it a. sieve 'drum 11 arranged to form a cover for thebox, and that the sieve drum associated with each wind box is given acontinuous movement, as by rotation thereof, but iny a direction so thatthe surface upon which hair is deposited is carried in a. directiontoward the ,next succeeding wind box. The blowing ipe 31 (substantiallyof the construction liereinbefore describedin .connection with Figures 3and 5) is arranged to blow the hair supplied to it by the pulling-incylinders 1617 against the conve ing cylinder 18, the latter acting tobrea up the air current so that the light hair flows up into the win'dbox and the heavy rickly hair and entangled hair drops upon t e bottomof the .wind box.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated another possible mode of -carrying outcertain fea tures of my invention, and it will be noted that theconstruction.illustrated in this fig? ure is substantially similar tothe construcpreferably f .tion shown in Figure 6, excepting that I haveincluded an adjustable solid or imperforate baille late 35 against whichthe air current of t e blowing ipe 31 is broken so that the lighthairows up into the wind box and the heavy prickly hair and entangledhair drops upon the bottom of the wind box.. While the conveyingcylinder 18 in the relation shown in Fi re 6 may act effectively undercertain con itions to break up the air current in the 'desired mannerand to achieve the desired results, yet, in order that the varyingconditions of practical use may be more readil met, the

adjustable baille plate 35 (shown y way of' example as substantially ofsimilar construction to that shown in Fi ure 3) may permit an exact andnice pre etermination of the manner in which the air current is brokenup and its components directed. The adjustability of the blow pipe 31,as hereinabove described in connection with Figure 3, may further bebrou ht into action in conjunction with the a justability of the bai'eplate 35 to achieve the intended 'directing of the components of the aircurrent thus broken up, and in conjunction with a coacting perforated'and moving surface,

' such as isprovided by the sieve drum 11,

the path of movement of the upwardly clirected air current andcorrespondingly the path of movement of the light hair carried upwardlythereby, may be predetermined to achieve a distribution of the depositof the hair upon the perforated moving surface in a manner best adaptedto meet the conditions of practical use, the moving perforated surfaceacting furthermore-to insure a uniform transfer of hair to thepulling-in cylinders associated with the exit pulling-in cylinders ofthe wind box.

In Figure 8 I have illustrated an arrangement in which each of the windboxes is provided with a sieve drum 11 preferably arranged to form acover or the wind box, and rotated in the manner indicated in Figure 1soas to be given a continuous movement of its effective surface exposedto the, path of movement of the hair in a direction from the entranceend of the wind box toward the exit end of the wind box. A ickercylinder is associated with each wind) box and adjacent the pulling-incylinders thereof so as to act, 1n a manner which will be clear fromwhat has hereinbefore been' set forth in connection with Figure 1, toproduce an air current and to throw the hair into the hair box. Whilethe imperforate conveying cylinder 18 as shown in Figure 1 may acteffectively, linden/certain conditions of ractical use, to insure anappropriate directive movement ofthe air current produced by the rapidrotation of the 'picker cylinder so that it light hair with it, yet Iprefer to include, in order to meet other conditions ofl practical use,an adjustable baliie plate 35 (see Figure 8) positioned, for example, infront of the conveying cylinder 18 and thus adapted to regulate thedirection of movement of the hair.

The action of this bafiie plate is such that in the first place themovement in an upward direction of the light hair, resulting either fromthe throwing action of the picker c linder or by virtue of the aircurrent pro uced thereby, ma be regulated as to its direction so that te depositing of hair upon the moving surface of the sieve drum 11 may beexactly predetermined; the sieve drum 11, rotating in the directionindicated ,in Athe drawings, insures a steady and uniform transfer ofdeposited hair in a direction from the entrance end of the wind boxtoward the exit end of the wind box, thereby `not only insuringcontinuity and uniformity of action, since a relatively permanentaccumulation of hair on the perforated surface is prevented, but alsoand by virtue of the direction of the movement of the perforatedsurface'insures a speeding up of the operationof each win'd box as wellas an avoidance of interference with the upwardly moving hair or the aircurrents producing such movement.

While the construction and action of the sievedike surfaces shown inFigures 3 and 4, according to which they are like the caps used with themachines of known eonstruction, but made to be raised and suddenlydropped by the action of the cam disk 3, as hereinbefore described,achieves a number of thoroughly practical advantages, yet it will benoted that the sieve-like surfaces provided in such a construction,while the prevent accumulation of hair thereon ue to the tcndencyof thehair to adhere to the inner faces of the perforated surfaces, they donot make possible the achievement of the many 4thoroughly practicaladvantages which may berealized wheretthe sieve-like surface is arrangedas is typified, for example, inFigures 1, 2, 6, 7 and V8, wherein theperforated surfacemoves in the direction toward the exit end of eachwind box. With thel constructions typified in these latter figures, andas will be clear from what has already been set forth in connectiontherewith and more particularly in connection with Figures 1 and 2, theaccumulation` surface of the sieve drums 1l is first carried by themovement of the surface of the sieve drum out of range of the upwardlydirected air current produced by the picker cylinder and hence out ofrange of the upwardly moving hair carried by this air current;interference, as by hair dislod ed from the perfor-ated surface or coverIas may take place with the construction shown in Figures 3 and 4) withthe upwardl moving hair is thus effectively prevente greater regularityis achieved with consequent uniformity of action, and likewise greaterspeed of operation achieved. These are a few 0f the practical advantageswhich are achieved by the preferred embodiment of certain of thefeatures of this invention.

Bythe improved construction of the per forated covers of the wind boxesas herein-y before described and shown in the drawings any disturbanceby accumulation of hair and by irregular loading of the picker cylindersis avoided and a thorough removal of dust froml the 'hair is assured sothat the most perfect result is obtained without-any interruption ofservice, a considerable saving in energy being further obtained by theimproved construction of the third wind box which has just beendescribed.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention andas various nation, a wind box, a second wind box, said first wind boxhaving fur-confining walls free from stationary perforated portions,means adapted to receive and throw fur into said first wind box and in ageneral upward direction, means adapted to receive fur from said firstwind box and throw it into said second wind box, and a perforatedrotatable drum associated with said first wind box and positioned in thepath of movement of fur therein and rotatable in a directionto carry furdeposited thereon toward said secondmentioned receiving and throwingmeans.

2. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur into said-first windbox, means adapted to receive said fur from said first wind box andthrow the same into said second wind box, anda perforated moving memberhaving one surface exposed outside said wind boxes and its other surfaceexposed inside said first wind box and against which said fur is thrownin said first wind box and by which it is conveyed toward said lastmeans.

In a blowing-'machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, means in each of said wind boxes adapted toreceive the fur and throw vthe same thereinto, and moving perforatedmeans covering an opening 1n each of said surface said fur thrownthereinto and coni vey said fur toward the next consecutive wind box.

4. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination,- a wind box, a second,wind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur into said first windbox, and a moving screen through which the current of air set up by saidfur-throwing means passes to the exterior of said wind boxes and againstthe surface ofwhich said fur is thrown in said first wind box adapted toconvey said fur toward said second wind box.

5. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur upwardly into saidfirst wind box, means adapted to throw fur into said second wind box,means in said first wind box adapted to receive and position said fur inopera- Y tive relation to said last means, yand a per- .forated rotatingdrum in said rst wind box above said positioning means therein andagainst which said fur is thrown therein and from which' said fur isadapted to drop upon said positioning means.

6. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur upywardly into saidfirst wind box, means fas adapted to throw fur into said second windbox, means in said first wind box adapted 'to receive and positionsaidfur in operative relation to said last means, and a perforated rotatingdrum for said rst wind box providing a passage to the exterior of saidwind boxes for the current of air set up 'by said fur-throwing means,said rforatd drum being mounted' above sai positioning means and beingadapted to receive said fur and deposit it upon said positioning means'.

` 7. In a blowin machine for fur, in com? bination, a win box, a secondwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur upwardly into saidfirst wind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur into said secondwind box, a moving member invsaid .first wind box adapted to feed saidfur to said 'throwing means for said second wind box, and a secondmoving member for said first wind box positioned above said first4moving member and perforated, said perforated moving member providing apassage to the exterior of said wind box for the current of air set upbyy said throwing means and being adapted to receive upon its surfacesaid upwardly thrown fur and deposit it upon said first moving member.

8. In a blowin machine for fur, in come bination, a wind ox, meansadapted to receive and throw fur thereinto, and a revolving perforateddrum opening at its ends exterior ofsaid wind box against the surwear/irface of which said fur is thrown in said wind box.

9. In a blowin machine for fur, in combination, a win box, a second windbox, means adapted to receive and throw fur up.u wardly into 'said firstwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur into said second windbox, a moving member in said irst wind box adapted to feed said fur tosaid throwing means for said second wind box, and a rotating perforateddrum for said first wind box positioned above said moving member, saidperforated drum providing a passage to the exterior of said wind boxesfor the current of air set up by said throwing means and being adaptedto receive upon itssurface said upwardly thrown fur andA deposit it uponsaid first' moving member.

10. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur upwardly into said'rstwind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur intofsaid second windbox a rotating cylinder in said first wind box adapted to feed said furto said throwing means for said second wind box, and a second rotatingcylinder fo'r said first wind box positioned above said first ro tatingcylinder and perforated, said perforated cylinder forming a passage tothe exterior of said wind boxes for the current of air set up by saidthrowing means and being adapted to receive upon its surface said,upwardly thrown fur and deposit it upon said first rotating cylinder.

11. In a blowing machine for fur, in comboxes, means 1n each of-.saidwind boxes adapted'to receive and throw fur upwardly thereinto, and arotating perforated drum in the upper portion of each of said windboxes, said perforated drums being positioned abovelsaid fur-throwingmeans, providing passages to the exterior of said wind boxes for the'currents of air set up by saidy throwing means and being adapted tocatch said fur on their surfaces and carry the same toward the nextconsecutive wind box.

' 12. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, means in each of said wind boxes adapted toreceive and throw fur upwardly therinto a rotating perforated drum inthe upper portion of each of said wind boxes, said perforated drumsbeing positioned above said fur-throwing means, providing passagesto theexterior of said wind boxes for the currents of air set up by saidthrowing means and being'ladapted to catch isaid fur on their surfaces.and carry the same toward the next consecutive' wind box, and means ineach .0f said wind boxes for receiving said fur from said perforateddrums and adapted to position said fur for en- 'bination, a plnrality ofconsecutive wind gagernent by said throwing means of the nextconsecutive wind box.

13. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, a rotating picker cylinder for each of said windboxes adapted to receive fur and to throw the heavy material thereofdown- Wardly and Athe lighter fur thereof upwardly into said ,windboxes, and a rotating perforated drum in the upper portion of each ofsaid wind boxes, said rperforated drums. being positioned above saidpicker cylinders, providing passages to the exterior of said wind boxesfor the currents of air set up by said picker cylinders and beingadapted to catch said upwardly thrown fur on their surfaces and carrythe same toward 'the next consecutive wind box.

14. In a blowing machine for fur, incombinatiomfa wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted tofreceive and throw fur into said first windbx, means adapted to re- ,ceive and throw fur into said second wind box,means in said first wind box adapted to position said fur in operativerelation to said last means, a moving perforated mein-l ber against thesurface of which said fur is thrown in said first wind box, and meansfor removing said fur from the surface of said member to fall upon saidpositioning means.

15. In a blowing machine for fur, in pombination, a wind box, a secondwind box,

means adapted to receive and throw fur upwardly into said first windbox, means adapted to receive and throw fur into said second wind box,means in said first wind box adapted to position said fur in operaltiverelation to said last means, a movin perforated member in the upperportion'o said first` wind box against which said fur' is throwntherein, and means for removing said fur from the surface of said memberf to fall upon said positioning means.

16. In a blowin machine for fur, in combination, aI plura ity ofconsecutive wind boxes, rotating picker cylinders for each of said windboxes adapted to receive fur and to throw. the heavy material thereofdownwardly and the lighter fur upwardly into 4said wind boxes,pulling-in cylinders for delivering fur to each of said pickercylinders, means in each of said-wind boxes for positioning fur inoperative relation jto the pulling-in cylinders for the next consecutivewind box, 'and a rptating perforated drum for each of said wind boxesadapted to receivel upon its surface said upwardly thrown Vfur thereinand deposit the same upon ysaid positioning means.

17. In a blowing-,machine for fur, in comlinitiation, a plurality ofconsecutive wind v boxes, a picker roll at one end and lower portion ofeach of said wind .boxes and adaptedr to throw fur into its associatedwind box and ina general upwarddirection and to cause heavier particlesto be cast in a general downward direction, a.

perforated rotatabledrum associated with each of said. wind boxes andpositioned to receive upwardly thrown fur and rotatable in a directionto carr the fur toward thev other end of saidwin box, and means forwithdrawing fu'r from said other end of said wind box and feeding it tothe picker `roll of the next succeeding wind box, each wind box and itsassociated perforated drum being arranged so thatthe latter is the onlyperforated surface into contact with which fur may be thrown.

18. In a blowing machin .for fur, in combination, a pluralit ofconsecutive wind boxes, pulling-in cylinders for each of said windboxes, a picker cylinder adapted to 'receive hair from the pulling-incylinders ,from said perforated drum, and an adjustable baiiie plate infront of the conveying cylinder adapted to regulate the direction ofmovement of the hair.

l19. In" a blowing machine for fur, in

combination, a wind box, a second wind box, means adapted to receive andthrow fur `upwardly into said first wind box, means adapted tothrow furinto said second wind ybox, means in said first wind boxadapted toreceive and osition said fur in operative .relation to sai last means, aperforated ro ftating drum for said' first wind box adaptedl to receiveupon itsl surface said upwardly thrown fur and carry the same in adireetion toward the second wind box, and means associated with saidhair throwing means in said first wind box and adapted to direct themovement of fur thrown thereby.

20. ln a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a wind box, a secondwind box, means adapted to produce an aix` current for carryingfur intosaid first wind box, means adapted to receive and throw fur into saidsecond wind box, a rotating cylinder in said 'first wind box adapted tofeed fur to said throwing means for said second wind box, a secondrotating cylinder for said irst wind box positioned above saidfirstrotating cylinder and perforated, and means coacting r'withsaid aircurrent producing means and said second-mentioned rotating cylinder fordirecting the air currents produced by the former.

21. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind ice boxes, a rotating picker cylinder for each of saidwind boxes adapted to receive fur, to

.throw the heavy material thereof downwardly, and to produce an aircurrent adapted to move with it the lighter fur, a rotating perforateddrum associated with each of said wind boxes and adapted to receive saidlighter fur thereon, said rotating drum being rotated in a direction tocarry the fur thereon toward he next consecutive wind box,'and meansadapted to direct the movement of the air current produced by said rotating picker cylinder. i

22. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, a rotating picker cylinder for each of said windboxes'adapted to receive fur, to throw the heavy material thereofdownwardly, and to produce an air current adapted to move with it thelighter fur, a rotating perforated drum associated with each of saidwind boxes and adapted to receive said lighter fur thereon, saidrotating drum being rotated in a direction to carry the fur thereontoward the next consecutive wind box,`a rotating cylinder adapted toreceive fur from said perforated cylinder and convey it in va directiontoward the picker cylinder of the next succeeding wind box, andimperforate means associate-d with said lastmentioned rotating drum butspaced there from to produce an air passage therebetween. n

23. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality of'consecutive wind boxes, a picker roll at one end and lower l portionofeach of said wind boxes for throwing lighter particles of fur intoits.

associated wind box and in a general upward direction and adapted tocause heavier particles to be thrown in a general downward direction,said picker roll also producingair currents to assist in the movementsof the fur particles, a perforated rotatable -drum associated with eachof said wind boxes and positioned to receive upwardly thrown furparticles and rotatable in a direction'to carry the fur particles towardthe other end of said wind box, imperforate means positioned in the pathof movement of the air set in motion by the picker roll in each' of saidwind boxes and adapted to deflect the moving air, thereby to affect theaction of the picker rolls, and means for withdrawing furfrom the otherend of said wind box and feeding it to the picker roll of the nextsucceeding wind box, each wind box and its associated perforated drumbeing arranged so that the latter isthe only perforated surface intocontact withfwhichfur particles may be thrown.

24. In a blowing machine for fur, in conibination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, means in each of said wind boxes adapted toreceive and throw fur particle; upwardly thereinto and to throwdownwardly heavier fur particles a perforated rotating drum for each ofsaid wind boxes and positioned to receive upwardly thrown fur particlesand rotatable in a direction to ca rry the fur particles in a directiontoward the next succeeding wind box, and an adjustable plate-lilremember, one for each wind box, positioned to affect the throwing actionof said first-mentioned means in each of said wind boxes.

'25. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, means in each of said wind boxes adapted toreceive and throw fur particles upwardly thereinto and to i hrowdownwardly heavier fur particles, a perforated rotating drum for each ofsaid wind boxes and positioned to receive upwardly thrown fur particlesand rotatable in a direction to carry the fur particles in a directiontoward the next succeeding wind box, each wind Abox and its associatedperforated drum being arranged so that the latter is the only perforatedsurface into contact with which fur particles are thrown, and anadjustable plate-like member, one for each wind box, positioned toaffect the throwing action of said first-mentioned means in each of saidwind boxes.

26. In a blowing machine for fur, in combination, a plurality ofconsecutive wind boxes, means in each of said wind boxes adapted toreceive and throw fur particles upwardly thereinto and to throwdownwardly heavier fur particles, a perforated rotating drum for eachof, said wind boxes and I positioned to receive upwardly thrown fur'particles and rotatable in a direction to carry -into contact withwhichfur particles may be thrown, and a plate-like member, one for eachwind box, positioned to affect the throwing action of saidfirst-mentioned meansv in each of said wind boxes.

In testimony whereof I airix my signature.

FRANZ BRCKNER.

